By Funda M. Gulmen, N.D, M.S
Many people have heard of the various benefits of meditation – from deeper inner peace to better physical health – yet they are not sure how to begin a practice. Thoughts of bearded yogis sitting cross-legged in a remote location up in the hills may initially come to mind. However, one wonderful aspect of meditation is that is so accessible to people even in our modern day and world. It really is quite simple to begin a practice – you may already be meditating at times and not even realize it. Usually the most challenging aspect of creating a meditation practice is making it a priority in daily life and being consistent in your effort towards it. If you have come to a point where you would like to give meditation more attention, below are some steps you can take to support yourself in moving in that direction. While there are many philosophies and styles of meditation, the information offered below has been effective for getting people started on that road even if they eventually choose a more specific discipline to follow later on. You might begin with five minutes and gradually work up to 20 minutes or more for your daily practice.
Create a space
First, you want to find or create a space that is conducive to meditation. Some people have the luxury of having a room they can dedicate to quiet, steady practice…others may find that a corner of a room will be their refuge. You might place an item of inspiration in your direct line of sight so that it reminds you of why you are sitting down to practice. Some people are able to sit comfortably on the floor but feel free to use a chair if you need to support your body this way. Do your best to sit tall and align your spine as straight as possible. Remove any items that may distract you from your meditation – TV, radio, phone, even too many hanging pictures – you want the space to be clean and simple. By allowing your senses to calm down, you give your mind a break from taking in external stimuli so that it can focus on your inner world. For those of you who are simply too restless or agitated to sit for practice (even for a couple of minutes) you might instead choose a walking meditation in a place that is naturally calm, quiet and beautiful.
Find your breath
Once you have your little corner of the world arranged properly, it is time to begin to draw your attention inward, moving from the outer world impressions to your inner world sensations. One way to make this transition is to place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Begin to notice your breath and the qualities of it. Is it flowing fast or slow, hard or soft, smooth or rough? Does it flow deeply into your belly or does it seem to stay in your chest and shoulders? Once you connect with your breath, begin to count your inhalations and exhalations, from “one” to “four”. When you reach the number four start at one again. By keeping your counting simple you prevent the mind from thinking, “Did I skip a number? What number am I on? How high do I count?” and help maintain mental focus. As you focus on your breath this way, you may find that your breathing cycle naturally starts to become smoother, deeper and more relaxed.
Focus your mind
Once you have the chance to bring your attention inward and tune into your breath, now you can begin to focus your mind. One way to do this is to give yourself a word or phrase to repeat several times such as “peace,” “joy” or “may all people be free from suffering”. It may be helpful to use a method of counting such as beads on a string (akin to a rosary or mala) so that your mind does not begin to focus on the counting instead. Some people think the purpose of this part of meditation is to stop thinking altogether. They worry that they cannot “go blank”. To be more realistic, I suggest that people focus on their chosen phrase as much as possible. When you find your mind drifting away to daily concerns, gently guide your mind back to focusing on the phrase. If you begin to think thoughts that generate an emotional response, simply note to yourself “I’m thinking” which will usually create a little space between yourself and the thought. Now instead of becoming engaged in the thought you become more of a witness to it. It creates room for a new thought to enter the field, perhaps a more productive thought, insight or intuition. You now have several thoughts to choose from instead of feeling like a thought is “hijacking” you. It allows you to have a different experience of that thought and your mind’s process. People who spend time meditating in this way often begin to find that they are able to become less reactive to thoughts that usually cause stress, anger or anxiety during the course of their day.
Open your heart
Once you spend a few minutes focusing your mind through this more structured part of meditation, I often suggest moving into a more unstructured phase. This can often come in the form of asking an open ended question such as, “how can I grow?” or “what do I need to let go of?” and see what answer bubbles up from your deepest self. The answer might present itself as a thought, image or sound. Another open meditation practice is to shift your attention from the word or phrase you focused your mind on to your heart’s center. Allow your attention to rest here and ask if there is anything your heart wants to share with you. Sometimes this can lead to a release of emotions that have been pent up for awhile, perhaps a bit of nervousness or sadness. Usually it also leads to some insight that you may need in order to allow your life to unfold in the best possible way. Be gentle, be patient, be still. This phase of meditation is also important as it encourages integration between the different aspects of your being – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Arriving at this place of wholeness is the true goal of meditation.
Many people believe that the physical postures of yoga are the most important aspect of practice. That is after all what we see in the media — super-bendy models who look gorgeous and serene as they touch their forehead with their toes. But the point of these physical postures is to create such a healthy body that it is no longer a distraction from the deeper work of meditation…getting your body out of the way so the light and wisdom of your soul can shine through and lead you into a life of greater peace and joy.
Funda M. Gulmen, N.D, M.S. is a licensed naturopathic physician who offers natural family medicine through her private practice in Connecticut. She also is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor. For more information, call 203.895.5534 or visit www.naturesourcecare.com.